Nimitz battle group heads for Arabian Sea

By MICHELLE MORGANTE
Associated PressPublished:March 3, 2003 7:00PM

CORONADO, Calif. Family members said somber good-byes Monday to thousands of sailors aboard the USS Nimitz as the aircraft carrier left on a mission that will bring it within striking distance of Iraq. The decks of the giant warship were lined bow to stern with formations of waving sailors as it pulled out of port at 9:15 a.m.